This invention relates to stereo radio broadcast systems and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for identifying broadcast audio program selections in FM stereo radio broadcast systems.
While FM broadcast station program materials generally consist of a combination of music, news, advertising, and information programs, the interest of a large segment of the listening audience is directed to the music portion of the broadcasts. In fact, the music industry cooperates with the audio stations and encourages the broadcast of the latest album releases on the basis that most album sales are the result of audience reaction to broadcast musical selections.
One of the most frustrating aspects confronting the listener concerns the identification of the broadcast musical selections, particularly since the stations do not employ a uniform method of identification. Some stations announce the titles of a group of selections prior to their broadcast, others announce the titles after the broadcast of such a group, while still others provide such announcements on a random basis. Rarely do the stations announce the title, artist and album information for each selection. The result is that the listener is generally unable to rapidly identify and remember a particular musical selection with sufficient accuracy to enable the subsequent purchase of the album containing that selection.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and methods for enabling a listener to rapidly and accurately identify broadcast musical selections.
It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods of storing selected musical selection identification information, and for recalling such information at a later time, to facilitate the purchase of the album containing that selection.